NIGERIA “Jehovah Had Rewarded Me”

In Nigeria’s Abia State, Jehovah’s Witnesses are often threatened and ostracized because they refuse to join age-grade associationsb​—whose community activities often include violence and spiritistic rites. One early November morning in 2005, members of the age-grade association of Asaga Ohafia invaded the home of Brother Emmanuel Ogwo and his wife and unlawfully took all their belongings as forced payment for membership levies. All that was left for the couple were the clothes they were wearing. In 2006, the community evicted Brother Ogwo from his home and village. Brother and Sister Ogwo took refuge with a brother in another village, where their needs were cared for. Although Brother Ogwo returned to his home the following year, he continued to endure pressure to join the age-grade association, and his requests to return his property were ignored.

Finally, on April 15, 2014, the Abia State High Court ruled in favor of Brother Ogwo, upholding his constitutional rights to freedom of association and religion. Brother Ogwo’s looted property has been returned to him, the Witnesses are not as severely ostracized by the community as they were before, and the brothers in Asaga Ohafia now preach freely in the community.

When the court’s decision was announced, Brother Ogwo said: “I leapt with joy. I was very happy. I felt that Jehovah had won the case and that the angels were with me. Jehovah had rewarded me.”